Ladder



UNITED STATES P TENT OFFICE HENRY H. SOHUMANN, on TROY, PENNSYLVANIA.

LADDER.

$PZECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 317,024, dated May 5, 1885.

Application filcd February 13, 1885. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it knownthat I, HENRY H. SOHUMANN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Troy, in the county of Bradford and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ladders, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to sectional ladders; and it has for its object to provide improved means for connecting the sections,which shall be simple, effective, and strong and durable, and to provide the lower section with extensible legs or supports,whereby theladder may be adjusted to uneven surfaces.

The invention consists in the improved construction and combinations of parts, hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a ladder constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line as x of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detached per spective view.

"In the accompanying drawings, in which like letters of reference indicate correspond-- ing parts in all the figures, A represents the ladder, which is composed of a series of sections, B B B".

Each of the sections composing the ladder is preferably constructed of two side strips, a a, connected by a series of bars or rungs arranged a suitable distance apart, and said sides are formed at one end with a downwardly-extending V-shaped tongue, 0, having V-shaped recesses b on each side of the same, and at their other ends with recesses b, the upper ends of which are V-shaped.

Upon the ends of the several sections at which the V-shaped tongues are located are provided metal bands, D,which fit around said sides of the sections just above the point of junction of the V-shaped tongues therewith, said bands being provided with set or thumb screws 0. The lower section of the ladder is provided at its lower ends with metal bands E, which serve to hold the strips composing the sides together at their lower ends, and also serve as guides for legs or standards G, and upon'the sides of said section, about midway the length of the same, are provided metal bands H, having thumb-screws which, when tightened, are adapted to bear against the legs or standards G and hold them at any desired adjustment. By this arrangement the ladder may be adjusted to accommodate uneven surfaces. Iuputting the sections together the V-shaped tongues are placed in the recesses b, and the V-shaped ends of theside strips fit the V-shaped recesses b, the metal bands on the lower ends of the sections receiving the upper ends of the next adjacent section, and

upon the thumb-screws being tightened the several sections are held firmly and securely in place. The upper ends of the sides of the upper section are held together in any suit able manner, preferably by riveting, though, if desired, metal rings or hands might be employed.

\Vhen the ladder is not in use, the several sections may be detached and the ladder stowed in a comparatively small space, and as many sections may be used as is necessary to have the ladder reach a desired point.

My improvements are simple in their con struction, effective, andstrong and durable.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A ladder consisting of a series of sections having V-shaped tongues at one end,and V- shaped recesses Z) adjacent thereto, the other ends of said sections having V-shaped recesses and V-shaped ends to fit the recesses b, and

metal bands having thumb-screws adapted to hold said sections rigidly together, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed-my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY H. soHuMANN.

Witnesses:

JNo. E. DoBBrNs, M. E. BAILEY. 

